Thiruvithamcode

Thiruvithamcode (also spelled Thiruvithancode, Thiruvithankodu, Thiruvithangodu), திருவிதாங்கோடு is a small panchayat town located in the Kanyakumari district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Kanyakumari district in Tamil Nadu was carved out of Travancore-Cochin State in the 1956 State re-organization comprising its four southern taluks of Thovala, Agastheeswaram, Kalkulam and Vilavancode. Thiruvithamcode is about 20 km from Nagercoil and 2 km from Thuckalay.

Thiruvithamcode
panchayat town
Country	India
State	Tamil Nadu
District	Kanniyakumari
Population  (2001)
• Total	16,689
Languages
• Official	Tamil
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	629174
Telephone code	Dialing code 04651
Vehicle registration	TN75

As of 2001 India census,[1] Thiruvithankodu had a population of 16,689. Males constitute 49% of the population and females 51%. Thiruvithankodu has an average literacy rate of 82%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 84%, and female literacy is 79%. In Thiruvithankodu, 10% of the population is under 6 years of age.

History

Nanjilnadu, which is the present Agasteeswaram and Thovalai taluks of the Kanyakumari district, was under the rule of Cheras. Idainadu comprising the present Kalkulam and Vilavancode taluks were under the rule of Cheras. When the power of Cheras declined due to the rise of Hoysalas and western Chalukyas, the Venad (descendants of the Cheras) took advantage of the situation and gradually established their hold on many areas of Nanjilnadu. The annexation commenced by Veera Kerala Varma was to a large extent continued by his successors and completed by 1115 A.D.

For about four centuries, Venad was ruled by powerful kings. In 1729, Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma took control of Travancore throne from his uncle, King Rama Varma. He defeated the forces of the Dutch East India Company under Eustachius De Lannoy in 1741 at the Battle of Colachel. Marthanda Varma expanded the kingdom towards north up to Aluva and established the state of Travancore. By this, the present day Kanyakumari District came to be known as Southern Travancore. Later, the capital was shifted from Padmanabhapuram (in present-day Kanyakumari District) to Thiruvananthapuram.

After Marthanda varma, Travancore kingdom was a principle state during the colonial period. The rule of the Travancore royals finally ceased in 1947 when Travancore had to join the independent Indian Union. In 1949, Kanyakumari district became part of the newly constituted Travancore-Cochin State. The people of Agasteeswarem, Thovalai, Kalkulam and Vilavancode Taluks, which formed the southern divisions of the former Trivandrum District, were predominantly Tamil-speaking and a popular agitation for merging the Tamil-speaking majority areas of Southern Travancore to Madras State (now Tamil Nadu) was started during this period and was intensified under the leadership of M.A. Nesamony, a prominent leader from the Nadar community who stoutly fought against the oppression of Nair community. They agitated for the merger of this area with Madras State. The States Reorganisation Commission also recommended a merger. Accordingly, the States Reorganisation Act of 1956 was passed and the Kanyakumari District was formed on 1 November 1956, annexing the four Taluks of Southern Travancore namely Agasteeswarem, Thovalai, Kalkulam. Thereby Thiruvithamcode, which formed part of Kalkulam Taluk in Southern Travancore, became part of Kanyakumari District in Tamil Nadu from 1 November 1956 onwards.

According to History of Travancore written by Shangunni Menon, the word "Thiruvithamcode" derives from "Thiru" meaning "prosperity", "Vithan" meaning "abode", and "Code" meaning "place".

Thiruvithamcode is thickly populated by Nadars and Muslim community. Historical treatises depicts that while Padmanabhapuram was the capital of Travancore, Muslim business men from North India came to Padmanabhapuram and settled at Thiruvithamcode and Thengapattanam and married to local women. Gradually attracted by the universal brotherhood of Islam many natives embraced Islam.

Even before the formation of Kerala State, Muslim people from Thiruvithamcode settled in many parts of Travancore, Cochin and Malabar States including the present Thiruvananathapuram District in Kerala state. The Muslim community from Thiruvithamcode settled in Thiruvananthapuram has a registered charitable society called Thiruvithamcode Muslim Association Thiruvananthapuram, which has its registered office in Chalai.

Boundaries

Thiruvithamcode is bounded by Kozhiporvilai, Thuckalay (Keralapuram), Azhagiyamandapam and Mylacode.

Nadukadai and Chettikudi are the main junctions in Thiruvithamcode.

Educational Institutions

College

The Muslim Arts College

Schools

Government

• Government higher Secondary School, Thiruvithamcode
  • Has classes from 1 to 12th in both English and Tamil Medium
  • The oldest school in Thiruvithamcode
• Government Primary School, near Vattam – has classes till 5th
• Government Malayalam School, opposite GHSS – has classes till 5th
• Anganvadi's are present in various locations in Thiruvithamcode

Private Schools

• Islamic Model Matriculation Higher Secondary School
  • Co-Educational – till 10th
  • More than 20 years since the school was started
  • Girls – 11,12
    • Groups available – Maths & Science Group
• The Oxford School
  • Co-Educational for all classes
  • Around 10 years since the school was started
  • CBSE and Matric – till 8th
  • Matric(Samacheer) – 9th, 10th
  • Higher Secondary – Maths & Science Group, Commerce & Accountancy Group

Apart from these, a couple of private schools are present for Kindergarten.

Religion

Hinduism & Temples

Thiruvidhankodu Sri Parithipani Mahadevar temple is one of the oldest temple in Kanyakumari District. This Temple is famous for shivalaya Ottam. It is the 10th shivalaya temple. The devotees go on a marathon from Thirumalai, the first Sivalayam, to the last Sivalayam.

One of the Sivalaya Hindu temples of Kanyakumari district is here. Thiruvithamcode is the second village of the Elur Chetty community. The Ganga Prameswari Amman Temple of Anchoorum Perumal Konarkal is situated here.

More than 10 temples are present here and each of them have their own special importance.

A few of the temples are

• Venadu Santhana Mariyaman Temple
• Krishnan Kovil
• Arulmigu Vetri Vinayagar Thirukovil
• Sastha Temple
• Sudalai Madan Kovil, Sankarankavu
• Muthuraman Temple, Arasamudu

Christianity & Churches

Thiruvithamcode has two ancient churches:

• St Mary's Orthodox Church (Thiruvithamcode Arappally) which is believed by local Christian communities in Kerala to have been established by St Thomas in the first century AD, along with seven other churches (ezharappallikal) in Kerala.
• The Ascension Jesus Church, which is believed to have been established by St Francis Xavier.

Islam & Mosques

Thiruvithamcode is thickly populated by a Muslim community. Historical treatises depict that while Padmanabhapuram was the capital of Travancore, Muslim business men from North India came to Padmanabhapuram and settled at Thiruvithamcode and Thengapattanam and married to local women. Gradually attracted by the universal brotherhood of Islam many natives embraced Islam.

There are six Muslim mosques in Thiruvithamcode and two Jamaath

Mosques

• Old Mosque (Big Mosque), Pazhaya Palli, Nadukadai Junction
• Mohideen Masjid (Chinna Palli), near GHSS
• Jeelany Masjid, Thurappu
• Thowheed Jamath Mosque, Thurappu
• Anjuvannam Mosque
• Al Buhari Masjid, Azhagiyamandapam

Jamath

• Thiruvithamcode Muslim Jamaath (TMJ);
• Shiekh Noorudeen Oliyullah Muslim Muhallam – Anjuvannam (SNOMMT).

Muslim saints Malik Mohamed Sahib Appa and Sheikh Noordeen Valiyullah have tombs in this town.

References

1. "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 16 June 2004. Retrieved 1 November 2008.

2 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Mary%27s_Church,_Thiruvithamcode

[1]

1. "The church that St. Thomas built".